Analysts don’t all follow each others’ research

One big difference between different analysts is the attitude they take towards each others’ research. Lighthouse’s free research tracking service, the Spotlight, includes our selection of the most notable research published in our four focus areas: telecoms, systems, services and software. Some analysts love the idea; other don’t.

Linda and Doreen, two of our research assistants, are on the phones this month to find out what analysts think about the Spotlights, and to offer free subscriptions to analysts that don’t currently subscribe. It’s a very uneven experience for them calling out to these analysts. Most analysts are very interested in reading what other analysts have to say; other analysts are a bit offended. You’d think they’d rather have their eyes poked out than read what their peers have to say.

Neither group is right or wrong. Many analyst firms have good reasons for discouraging analysts for follow the research of other analysts: the firms want to generate unique IP, and want to avoid using some of the proprietary vocabulary of their competitors. Other firms work through a process of reflecting and developing their ideas with an external peer community. Of course some of the analysts in the first group do subscribe to the Spotlight, but as a form of competitive intelligence.

It’s useful for AR managers to think about this difference too. Analysts in the same firm often won’t pool information with each other, and many analysts have little or no interest in what other analysts say. It’s a well accepted faux pas to try to use the opinions of one analyst to change the opinions of another. But if you find an analyst who is interested in what their peers are saying, it’s worth thinking about ways to raise the general direction of analyst research with analysts, and even find ways to bring open-minded analysts together. If they are reading our Spotlight, then they may already know each others’ names.

If you want to subscribe to the Spotlight service, just send an email to Linda at lighthousear dot com, with a note to pick your choice from the four available: telecoms, systems, services and software.